Traffic Management Plan (TMP)

Any street usage that will impact the movement of vehicles, pedestrians or cyclists will require a Traffic Management Plan (TMP). Street Occupancy Permits will not be issued until the TMP has been approved. Approval of TMPs will be conditional on some or all of the requirements indicated below. The required elements must all be shown clearly on the TMP.

TMPs need to address the movement of vehicles, pedestrians including people with disabilities and cyclists. They do not have to be done to scale, but should be reasonably accurate proportionally. Signs, cones, barricades and traffic control persons (TCPs) should all be clearly indicated. Street names should be clearly labelled and affected lanes and driveways must be shown. Road markings and medians should also be shown. Sidewalks will need to be indicated if pedestrian movements are impacted, and any sidewalk, bike lane, or greenway that is impacted must have a provision included to ensure safe, convenient passage for pedestrians. Critical dimensions relating to the work area and traffic control are to be shown.

For vehicular traffic TMPs need to address through traffic, turning movements, on-street parking and driveway access/egress. When parking meter spaces are to be occupied, the meters and meter numbers are to be identified on the TMP. Parking lanes can be used to provide additional travel lanes if motor vehicle volumes on the street dictate that capacity is a priority. If volumes are low and parking is at a premium, single lane alternating traffic may be approved with parking maintained in the curb lane. If driveways or on-street parking are to be impeded there must be consultation with those affected. When single lane alternating traffic is in place TCPs will be needed to monitor vehicles exiting from driveways and curbside parking.

Pedestrian traffic includes ambulatory persons as well as those using wheelchairs or mobility assistive devices. If sidewalks or crosswalks are impacted, temporary measures will be required to deal with pedestrian movements. These measures could include reasonable detour or a diversion. Any temporary measures should retain the existing level of accessibility. Extended sidewalk closures will not be permitted if site hoarding can be constructed to provide safe pedestrian passage. If pedestrian traffic is not affected this should be clearly noted on the TMP.

A detour would divert pedestrians to the opposite side of the street or some other alternate route. Signage would be required at the previous legal and safe crossings for both directions. If there are no destinations on the block the signs should read “SIDEWALK CLOSED”. If there are destinations within the block that are still accessible from one end or the other the signs should read “SIDEWALK CLOSED AHEAD”. A proper closure would then have to be in place at the work site.

While not preferred, short term sidewalk closures may be permitted when pedestrian volumes are low and work can be stopped so pedestrians can pass safely with minimal delays.

Temporary sidewalk diversions may be approved provided pedestrian safety is not compromised and accessibility for people with disabilities is maintained. The temporary diversion could be in the form of an asphalt or wooden walkway, or re-routing pedestrians onto the roadway. Using the roadway would require proper separation between pedestrians and vehicles, and accessible transitions between the sidewalk and the roadway.

If pedestrian access to a specific destination is prevented or delayed, there must be consultation with the impacted property and accommodation as necessary.

Cyclists must be assisted in passing through closure areas safely. If travel lanes are significantly reduced TCPs should stop vehicle traffic to allow cyclists to pass. When construction results in the closure of a marked bike lane and cyclists on the route must use regular travel lanes, “SHARE THE ROAD” signs are to be installed as part of the TMPs.

Where construction occurs on a designated greenway or bikeway and a detour is required, the detour must be clearly signed, and cyclists must be detoured to routes that are safe. Movement at intersections must be carefully planned and signage clearly indicated on the TMPs.

The Traffic Control Manual for Work on Roadways produced by the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is aimed primarily at highway conditions, and should be used only as a reference when preparing TMPs for urban environments. Photocopies or cited figure numbers from the manual are not acceptable as TMPs.